13 February 2023
Need thrust to fly (up). Inefficent flying objects just need more thrust. Autogyros, flex wings, quad drones and blimps. My idea of a model blimp is a blimp look-a-like that is small and has no helium or other lifting gases. It just looks like a blimp and relies on the thrust to climb, when the thrust is reduced it glides down. Today I am thinking about differential thrusts without controllable surfaces.
In order of increasing exotic-ness, lifting surfaces crafts like: aeroplanes, rogallos autogyros, blimps. The thrusters should be a distance from the centre of lift to create a pitching moment. By angling the thrusters and if the thrusters are a distance in front of or behind of the centre of lift, the same pitching moment can also be created.
Pitching is to the centre of lift or centre of drag? I think centre of drag has greater influence. In practical terms, having adjustable angle of thrusters will help trim without changing centre of gravity. Having adjustable positions for thrusters will also behave the same except that the centre of gravity changes.
If full efficiency is desired, it'll look like an airplane. If full curiousity is required, that'll either be the blimp or the autogyro. A blimp is cool as it is a recognisable single object, but if it is thinned down for less drag then it's not that cool anymore. An autogiro is cool because of the spinning disc.
Maybe a thrust platform with options of different lifting surfaces.
